152-538: Castle Vale is a housing estate located between Erdington , Minworth and Castle Bromwich . Currently Castle Vale makes up the Castle Vale Ward of Birmingham City Council which is part of Erdington constituency (having previously been part of Hodge Hill constituency until recent times), 6 miles (9 km) northeast of Birmingham city centre in England. The area has an approximate population of 10,000 people and has
304-474: A Carnegie library , is a public library operated by Birmingham City Council . It is the meeting place of the Erdington Historical Society on the second Monday of every month. Schools Josiah Mason Campus, a campus forming Birmingham Metropolitan College , was formerly a further education college by the name of Josiah Mason College that merged with Sutton Coldfield College in 2006. Before
456-704: A Housing Action Trust in North Hull . After further research, he recommended this to Dick Knowles, then leader of Birmingham City Council, for Castle Vale. He produced a presentation to the council in Autumn 1991 to convince the council of the potential of the scheme. The following day, the council approached the Department for the Environment, the predecessor to the Department for Communities and Local Government , on how to approach
608-564: A bid for £450,000 to the Government's Crime Reduction Programme which led to the installation of 29 new CCTV cameras. ValeWatch also allowed the HAT to tackle the source of crime in the estate and, in 1998, evicted the ringleaders of the Green Box Gang, which was small, notorious gang consisting mainly of teenage troublemakers. These were the first evictees from the estate. In Autumn 2000, CVHAT sought
760-458: A bungalow development aimed at disabled people on Howes Croft which was completed in 1999. Later on, Axis were also involved in the design of a low-energy courtyard development with 21 bungalows on Tangmere Drive and Drem Croft, and also with the design of 22 rented family homes on Bond Drive in 2000. Their final work in Castle Vale was related to the construction of 42 houses and flats in phase 2 of
912-574: A change at Castle Bromwich Aerodrome and it was requisitioned by the War Office for use by the Royal Flying Corps and flying schools in 1915. No. 5 Flying School was established at the aerodrome in the same year. Pilots were accommodated in tents and huts located around the site and on 1 September 1915, 19 Squadron was established at the aerodrome. In the interwar years , the aerodrome had a dual military and civilian function. In these early days, it
1064-508: A chapel was built at the side of the manor house for the residents of Erdington. However, attendance was low and the chapel fell into decay. The residents were then urged to travel to the parish church in Aston; however, again the attendance was low. A south aisle was therefore added to the church and became known as the Erdington chantry. The Black plague affected Erdington severely as indicated in
1216-464: A communal open space, a concept which was created by Clarence Stein in Radburn, New Jersey in 1929. The council attempted to limit the damage caused to their reputation as a result of the scandal surrounding the resignation of Fidler by agreeing to embark on the major building project at Castle Bromwich with five new goals. These were increasing housing output at the estate by a further 4,000 homes, which
1368-411: A complex with primary schools and the demolition of the towers would necessitate the demolition of the schools, which the HAT and Birmingham City Council wanted to avoid. To regenerate the shopping area in the centre of the estate, Associated Architects and Gillespies were appointed to produce a masterplan for the site to include new shopping facilities and other community facilities. Preparations for
1520-518: A dispatch site for aeroplanes built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory on the other side of the Chester Road. At its peak, the airfield would be used for testing 300 Supermarine Spitfires per month for World War II . Various units used the airfield following the war and there was an annual display to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Britain held at the airfield. Civilian flights returned, including
1672-463: A distinct concentration of retail space, known as Erdington town centre or Erdington village, the main focus of which is Erdington High Street. There is also a market located on Barnabas Road and another market, Wilton Market, between Sutton New Road and the High Street, next to Wilton Market is Swannies which is intermediate between a market and a shopping centre. Opposite Wilton Market and Swannies on
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#17328439362651824-517: A distinctly modern residential character stemming from its history as a postwar overspill estate. The area was originally known as Berwood, from the Saxon 'Bearu' meaning 'the woods'. Historically being a boggy and wooded area, the area remained undeveloped for most of its history until the deforestation practices of Edward Darcy in the 17th century and the construction of the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal in
1976-460: A double moat and on the fourth by the River Tame. It had developed from a small fortified homestead constructed by an Anglo-Saxon named Eardwulf in the area of Bromford . Demolished in the 17th century, it stood on a hill at the junction of what is now Wheelwright Road and Tyburn Road. The double moat was drained in the 18th century by Sir Charles Holte . Until 1912 another building stood, but this
2128-447: A long time. The economic downturns of the 1970s and 1980s saw the local manufacturing industry hit hard and unemployment on Castle Vale soared. By the late 1980s, unemployment on the estate stood at around 28% – around four times the national average at the time. West Midlands Police struggled to operate on the estate due to recurring incidents and also incidents where officers were attacked by youths. The lack of law enforcement led to
2280-459: A result of a partnership between Birmingham's Social Services Department, CVHAT, Walker Troup Architects, and design and build contractor Lovell Partnerships. The children's home was part of a larger housing scheme by Lovell Partnerships and designed by Walker Troup Architects which proved to be the last large-scale residential construction project for the HAT. The scheme consisted of 237 homes, of which, 211 were for rent and 26 were offered for sale in
2432-513: A separate civil parish , On 9 November 1911, the urban district Erdington and that of Aston Manor were absorbed into the County Borough of Birmingham . On 1 April 1912 the parish was abolished and merged with Birmingham. Erdington shopping centre formed the core of the area with most of the older housing being located close to it. The railway alongside also attracted the development of many Victorian and Edwardian houses. Highcroft Hospital
2584-419: A settlement of that period. This homestead developed into a large house in the area of Bromford and became Erdington Hall. However the name " Yenton " also applies to the possible corruption of " Yerdington ", an enclosure, which could apply to a moated homestead. Erdington's history is documented well through its buildings. One of the most well-known features in the area is Spaghetti Junction , situated on
2736-518: A shell, the property was confiscated by the Crown and given to Edward Darcy after the previous owner, Edward Arden, was convicted of treason and hanged. The son of Edward Arden started studying law and commenced several court cases to regain control of the land from Edward Darcy. When Darcy learned of a case to regain half of the land, he deforested it and moved the valuable timber to his land in Minworth , leaving
2888-496: A shop. By 1832, it had a population of 2,000. Erdington has had historic ties with both Castle Bromwich and Water Orton through administration, governance and land ownership whilst being part of Aston parish. Erdington was formerly a chapelry in the parish of Aston, In 1894 Erdington broke from Aston to become an urban district . Administrative offices were established at Rookery House on Kingsbury Road, which now forms part of Rookery Park. On 31 December 1894 Erdington became
3040-449: A survey in 2004 found that 39% of respondents earned between £5,000 and £10,000, with nearly a third earning less than £5,000. In 2004, the estate remained just outside the top 10% most deprived areas in England. Crime rates remained largely unaffected in Castle Vale until towards the end of the HAT's existence. Crime rates began to fall in 2001, and between 2000 and 2004, the number of crimes committed in Castle Vale reduced by 36%, although
3192-461: A swampy area which was prone to flooding and with poor quality soil for agriculture. The hall was eventually demolished although the moat still remained into the 20th century. A later house (Berwood Hall) was built outside the moat, which was eventually the site of Berwood Hall Farm. A mill stood in Berwood on Plants Brook in the 15th century. In 1789, the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal was completed to
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#17328439362653344-527: A triangular runway layout typical of British military airfields of that era, with none of them aligned to the modern day roads. At the end of World War II, one third of housing within Birmingham was declared unfit for habitation and a major construction programme was needed to deal with problem. By 1950, Birmingham City Council had been constructing municipal housing to accommodate the rising population of Birmingham and to accommodate those who had been displaced by
3496-517: Is 0.3% above and 0.3% below the city average, respectively. There were a total of 10,547 households in Erdington, producing an average of 2.2 persons per household. This is below the city average of 2.5 and national average of 2.4. 63.4% of the households are owner occupied, above the city average of 60.4%. The local authority rented out 19.2% of the population. 5.8% of the households were rented from housing associations and 8% were rented privately. 459 of households were vacant, which accounted for 4.4% of
3648-500: Is also close to both Lichfield and Tamworth in Staffordshire. It is located approximately four miles (6 kilometres) north east of Birmingham City Centre. The borders of Erdington are: Erdington also includes Pype Hayes . This was formerly a working class area of Council houses built between World War I and World War II . These houses had to be demolished due to problems with the concrete used in their construction. Pype Hayes
3800-409: Is called "The Yenton". The area had a population density of 50.7 people per hectare and the ward covers an area of 446.2 hectares. Erdington had a slightly higher proportion of females, at 52%, to males. This followed the city trend as 51.6% of the population of Birmingham are females. 98.6% of the population of Erdington lived in households whilst the remaining 1.4% lived in communal establishments. This
3952-400: Is now an area with modern houses, some are owner occupied , others belong to Housing associations . One tower block, Sorrel House, was retained and refurbished. Brookvale Park Lake and surrounding land is a park that was formally a drinking water reservoir until the steadily encroaching city made the water unfit for human consumption. It was briefly converted into an outdoor pool until that
4104-521: Is said to have reached a height of 50 ft (15 m), making it the first flight in Birmingham. The site's suitability was investigated and it soon became the Castle Bromwich private aerodrome . By 1911, a pilot was giving demonstration flights in a Bleriot monoplane . In the London to Manchester air race of 1914, competitors stopped at the aerodrome for refuelling. The start of World War I meant
4256-645: Is served by the Good Hope Hospital in neighbouring Sutton Coldfield . Erdington is also served by the Birmingham Hospice and by Northcroft Hospital built on the edge of the site of the former Highcroft Hospital. Erdington itself borders the traditionally working class areas of Aston , Perry Barr and Hodge Hill as well as Kingstanding , Tyburn, and Stockland Green and the affluent, spacious districts of Sutton Coldfield , Minworth , Castle Bromwich and Water Orton ( North Warwickshire ). The area
4408-638: The Poor Law Board , was originally a workhouse providing housing to paupers, idiots, tramps, seniles, lunatics and imbeciles (terms used at the time with distinctive definitions). The building was originally named the Aston Union Workhouse, but was renamed over the years as Erdington House (1912 – following the City boundary changes), and then Highcroft Hall Hospital (1942); and was more commonly referred to in later years as just Highcroft Hospital . Over
4560-522: The Stonebridge Railway , it became a minor branch line , and struggled on as such with only one daily passenger train until 1917, when this train was withdrawn as a wartime economy measure. The line remained open until 1935 for freight-only closing when one of the original timber bridges failed. The old Birmingham and Derby Junction station building at Hampton can still be seen. The line into Lawley Street remained important, however, for passengers to
4712-629: The Stonebridge Railway . George's son Robert Stephenson took on the post of engineer, with an assistant, John Birkinshaw . Some 42 miles (68 km) long, there was no gradient steeper than 1 in 339. The design included two viaducts (the Anker Viaduct, now known as the Bolehall Viaduct ) and the Wichnor Viaduct (also known as the Croxall Viaduct), seventy eight bridges and a cutting at
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4864-585: The Sutton Park Line was completed in 1879 and formed the eastern boundary of the area, roughly marking the boundary of the land in the Arden/Darcy dispute. In 1900, John Dunlop opened a tyre factory on the opposite side of the Chester Road to where the Castle Vale housing estate now stands and gradually expanded over the next few decades to become one of the largest and most recognisable tyre factories in
5016-456: The slum clearances in the inner-city areas of the city, similar to the process which had started some 30 years earlier when the first council houses were built. Municipal house construction developed into high-rise construction in the mid-1950s with the guidance of Alwyn Sheppard Fidler , the City Architect of Birmingham . By 1962, however, the city council was demolishing more houses than it
5168-523: The 14th century local records. Henry de Pipe, owner of the Manor of Pipe (now Pype Hayes Hall ), lost his wife and all but one child. His second wife, Maud, was the daughter of George de Castello of Castle Bromwich. However he soon discovered that she was pregnant with a child of another man, and he then died. Around the 1500s the Gravelly Hill area began to become mentioned in documents. John Leland described
5320-411: The 18th century. In the 20th century, the land became the site for the first aeroplane take-off in Birmingham which led to a long aviation history being associated with the area. Castle Bromwich Aerodrome was established on the site and operated from 1914 to 1960, being a major airfield in both World Wars and also having industrial importance as the testing facility for locally manufactured aeroplanes and
5472-469: The 1980s, with many of the original residents already coming from poor economic backgrounds in slums. The Birmingham Municipal Bank opened a branch in Castle Vale Shopping Centre but the last bank closed in 1987, leading to a greater reliance on illegal loan sharks . Additionally, the unemployment rate was on average 50% higher than the city average by 1992, and in some pockets of the estate,
5624-400: The Birmingham character actor who starred in many Laurel and Hardy films. In 2017, a brand new sports facility opened to the public. It cost £7.5 million and provided the people of Erdington with a 25-metre swimming pool, a teaching pool, a 70-station gym and a community room/studio space. Fitness classes, children holiday activity area and birthday parties are also hosted there. Erdington
5776-586: The CVHAT and a dentist's surgery. Construction of the rest of the retail park was completed in July 2000, with the Sainsbury's supermarket store opened on 29 July 2000. The demolition of the shopping centre and Concorde Tower resulted in 11,000 tonnes of concrete rubble, which was reused in the construction phase with the surplus being given to Project Wagtail. Schal consulted the community to distinguish how to minimise disruption on
5928-476: The Chester Road to Chester from London. In 1783, the Birmingham-Fazeley Canal was completed. It passed along the southern boundary of Erdington at Tyburn. Planning requests included that the canal should not pass within 500 metres of Pype Hayes Hall . By the mid-1700s, Erdington had a population of under 700 and within its boundaries were 52 roads, one forge, 40 farms, 96 cottages, two smithies and
6080-512: The Domesday Book was located in Bromford, close to the manor house at a loop in the river, where a straight channel was cut to facilitate the milling of corn. The mill was owned by the lord of the manor and the tenants were obliged to grind their corn there. Erdington was connected to Bromford via Bromford Lane, which still exists today in the middle of a 1960s council estate . In the 15th century,
6232-783: The Enterprise Park and two shopping centres provided new employment opportunities to hundreds of people. Merlin Venture was created to provide employment opportunities to residents in a variety of sectors. Unemployment on the estate has dropped from 26% in 1993, to 5.6% in October 2004. The Castle Vale Credit Union was approved by the Registrar of Friendly Societies in September 1998, offering saving services and cheap loans. By June 2004, it had 640 members. Despite this, there are still high levels of poverty and
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6384-553: The European Regional Development Fund. The park was completed ahead of schedule and officially opened by Alex Stephenson, chairman of Advantage West Midlands, in June 2000. Following its completion, approximately 200 jobs have been created. Crime was one of the significant issues affecting the residents of the estate and various initiatives were employed by CVHAT to reduce crime rates. Despite these measures, crime rose on
6536-528: The Farnborough Road tower blocks had been demolished by the end of 2000, with Vulcan House initially being retained as accommodation for doctors and nurses while improvements took place at NHS staff homes near to Heartlands Hospital . However, Vulcan House was significantly under-occupied for this purpose, and it was finally demolished in 2002. Andover, Hercules, Ternhill and Oakington Houses were demolished afterwards. By 2004, all remaining tower blocks, with
6688-495: The HAT and plans were drawn up with various architects and contractors to develop these sites, mainly for residential purposes to house the displaced families. Significant focus was placed on the quality of design and the use of low-energy features to make the estate more sustainable. New roads were constructed on the sites of the demolished tower blocks and often took the names of them, such as Avro Way, Lysander Boulevard and Trident Boulevard. Axis Design Collective became involved in
6840-419: The HAT, a ballot date of 18 March 1993 was announced. The ballot had a resident turnout of 74%, and the results were announced on 15 April 1993 with 92% voting in favour of the HAT. Castle Vale Housing Action Trust was formally established on 30 June 1993 and Angus Kennedy was appointed as Chief executive and the first permanent board member on 23 November 1993. The Housing Action Trust, locally known as "The HAT",
6992-402: The HAT. He entered negotiations with a Community Action Team, which had been established for the estate in 1992, to determine the size and composition of the board for the HAT. They agreed on a board of twelve members, with four resident representatives, three local authority councillors, and five independent members. Following campaigning by the council to convince residents to vote in favour of
7144-403: The High Street is a Cooperative Store which has been there since at least the 1950s and is the largest Supermarket in the town centre. Erdington town centre is now a Business Improvement District . Also on the High Street is Erdington Parish Church , and nearby on Sutton Road is The Abbey Church . The original Abbey building forms part of the neighbouring Highclare School. The Parish Church
7296-549: The North Midland Railway). Samuel Carter , the Birmingham and Derby solicitor, immediately issued the statutory notices for its branch and was able to incorporate it in the act. Royal assent for the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway Act 1836 ( 6 & 7 Will. 4 . c. xxxv) was given on 19 May 1836 with the active support of the prime minister Robert Peel , the member for Tamworth . The branch later became known as
7448-588: The North Midland for exclusive access to its passengers. In retaliation the Birmingham board opposed a bill that the MCR had submitted to Parliament. Both lines were in dire straits and paying minuscule dividends. The North Midland was also suffering severe financial problems arising from the original cost of the line and its buildings. At length George Hudson took control of the NMR and adopted Robert Stephenson's suggestion that
7600-518: The Sutton Road, a number of houses were demolished in 1957 for the construction of the Lyndhurst Estate. Number 44 was retained as it was an old building considered to be of interest. The demolished houses were detached post-1840 Victorian villas. Constructed on the site were six tower blocks and numerous low rise maisonettes . The tallest of these, Harlech Tower, was 16 storeys and at the time it
7752-499: The airfield at Park Lane. Completed in April 2000 to a design by David Rowbotham Ltd., the business park provided 44 small to medium business units on a 3.64-acre (14,700 m) site. Construction commenced in February 1999 with Galliford Midlands appointed as the contractor. The project cost £3.364 million, with funding coming from Advantage West Midlands, Castle Vale HAT, Ashtenne plc and
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#17328439362657904-516: The approach to Derby, consideration being given to the danger of flooding by the River Trent . The Anker Viaduct is 807 feet (246 m) long, and the Croxall Viaduct is 1,310 feet (400 m) long. The rails were single parallel form , 56 pounds per yard (28 kg/m), set in chairs upon cross sleepers. Although the standard gauge was used to match the other railways it was associated with,
8056-407: The area as "by sandy ground, better wooded than fertile of wheat ... the soil is sandy and good for conyes." Thus there were many rabbits (conyes) and it is known that it remained as a rabbit warren for a while, as it was deemed unsuitable for cultivation. At the foot of Gravelly Hill was the River Tame, which was spanned by Salford Bridge . Salford Bridge was first mentioned as Shrafford Brugge during
8208-473: The balconies with the name 'Topcliffe' etched into it. These panels shield the antennas on the roof from view. The refurbishment was completed in May 2005 at a cost of £2.7 million. Farnborough Road and the immediate area became a hive of construction activity in CVHAT's existence. A self-build scheme was pioneered here by Birmingham Co-operative Housing Services and Accord Housing Association. Starting in May 2008,
8360-514: The best outcome would be for the three lines to merge. Hudson foresaw that the directors of the MCR world resist the idea and made a secret agreement with the B&;DJR for the NMR to take it over. This would of course take away the MCR's customers from Derby and the North and, when news leaked out, shares in the B&DJR rose dramatically. Hudson was able to give the MCR directors an ultimatum, and persuaded
8512-572: The bills were presented to Parliament since the lines would compete with each other. In the end, the Birmingham and Derby line agreed to withdraw its branch to Hampton if it the Midland Counties withdrew its line along the Erewash valley. The Hampton branch was removed, but when the Midland Counties presented its bill, it still contained the Erewash line (although it was later dropped on the insistence of
8664-481: The centre of the estate. Associated Architects and Gillespies were appointed as master planners and an outline planning application was approved in August 2002. Associated Architects were appointed for the design of buildings on the site including an educational complex named C3, a West Midlands Police sector base, and a new retail and office block. Planning consent for these were obtained in 2003 and 2004. The first phase of
8816-433: The city average of 16.7%. 60% of the population were of a working age (16–65 years of age), above the city average of 59.8% but below the national average of 61.5%. Some 8.9% of the population were born outside of the country, below the city average of 16.5% and national average of 9.3%. 89% of the population are white, well above the city average of 70.4% and just below the national average of 90.9%. Black ethnic groups were
8968-444: The city average. Only 8% continued into further education, compared with 55% for the rest of Birmingham. The schools themselves had unsustainably low student numbers and they found it difficult to persuade teachers to continue working in the area, as well as employing new teachers. There were also physical problems with the estate. While the design and layout had exacerbated some of the problems such as crime, there were also issues with
9120-409: The community and for new offices to be constructed for the community organisations. Plans for an upgrade of the medical services were already advancing when the masterplan was being produced. The plans were later adjusted during demolition and recommended the demolition of 32 of 34 tower blocks, with the remaining two being refurbished. They were saved from demolition as they were constructed as part of
9272-570: The construction of the Gravelly Hill Interchange . During the 16th and 17th centuries, new families lived at Erdington Hall. The Dymocks moved in: they were a prominent family, including several knights. However their strict manorial laws made them unpopular amongst the residents of Erdington. As the English Civil War erupted, Erdington was expanding rapidly through the purchase of land for agricultural purposes. In 1643, Birmingham
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#17328439362659424-551: The county of the West Midlands , England. Historically part of Warwickshire , it is located 5 miles (8 km) northeast of central Birmingham , bordering Sutton Coldfield . It was also a council constituency , managed by its own district committee . The former council district consisted of the ward of Erdington as well as Tyburn (formerly Kingsbury), Stockland Green and Kingstanding , although all of Kingstanding and most of both Tyburn and Stockland Green wards lie outside
9576-542: The course of the River Tame from Tamworth in the 9th century. The settlements of Minworth and Curdworth were also established. It is believed that the Roman track 'Ridgeway', now Chester Road , was another route for settlers, since the early nucleus of the village which was a very short distance from the path. At the time of the Norman conquest the Earls of Mercia had possession of
9728-410: The creation of approximately 600 jobs. Initially, 38% of those working at the retail park were local residents, but this figure increased to 95% within five years. Sainsbury's then worked closely with the community to help support the local radio station and football team. In total, the project cost £35 million. Another shopping area identified as needing significant redevelopment was Reed Square in
9880-474: The demolition of 1,416 homes including 17 of the 34 tower blocks and 24 of the 27 maisonette blocks. Of the tower blocks proposed for demolition were the Centre 8 blocks, four tower blocks on the northern section of the estate, one tower block which stood atop the main shopping centre (also earmarked for demolition) and four more tower blocks on the southern part of the estate. Up to 1,100 homes were to be constructed on
10032-423: The demolition of properties commenced as soon as the masterplan was approved. The first phase of preparations for demolition began in June 1995 when the first four of the "Centre 8" blocks were demolished. The other four blocks in this section were demolished a year later. The four "bison wall" tower blocks - Valiant, Meteor, Hermes and Ensign Houses - were demolished in 1997, along with Albert Shaw House. The decision
10184-467: The establishment of a Housing Action Trust at Castle Vale. In December 1991, Michael Heseltine announced to Parliament that Castle Vale had become the latest candidate for Housing Action Trust status. In 1992, Richard Temple Cox, a local architect, was appointed shadow chairman for the Housing Action Trust and was given the job of persuading residents on the estate to vote in favour of establishing
10336-408: The estate as well as improving the quality of life. Residents became more house proud and so kept their houses cleaner, reducing the risk of infections. People were also more willing to visit the newly constructed Health Village on Tangmere Drive. The lack of employment opportunities had led to a high unemployment rate and a dependence on loan sharks amongst residents on the estate. The construction of
10488-450: The estate until near the end of the HAT's existence. Initially, crime reduction measures were fragmented and poorly implemented. The establishment of ValeWatch in June 1997, a partnership between West Midlands Police and CVHAT which organised monthly meetings where intelligence on offenders was shared, brought about a more co-ordinated approach to tackling crime. In 1998, a series of Community Safety Forums were held which were public events for
10640-404: The estate witnessed the demolition of many of its housing stock and facilities, the refurbishment of remaining properties, and the construction of new housing and facilities along with the remodelling of the estate, funded both privately and publicly. The site has historically been a wooded area with a post- Domesday manor, although its construction date is not known. In 1160, the Manor of Berwood
10792-535: The estate, leading to the relocation of a bus-stop, the use of vibro-piling over rapid piling and also improvements to footpaths in the general area. Carillion Craft Training were brought in to employ residents on the estate to work on the construction to help tackle the unemployment rate. The opening of the Sainsbury's supermarket in the 64,000 sq ft (5,946 m) anchor unit and 84,000 sq ft (7,804 m) of non-food retail units, which are fully occupied by Comet , T.K. Maxx , Argos and ScS , led to
10944-476: The estate, while others became apparent at the end of CVHAT's existence. In 1992, the Health Needs Assessment stated that the average life expectancy of Castle Vale residents was 68.3 years, compared to the national average of 75.9 years. Between 1992 and 2005, the average life expectancy in Castle Vale rose by approximately seven years. This was the result of measures to tackle drug and alcohol abuse on
11096-406: The estate. By 2002, the HAT had constructed 1,486 new properties and reinstated 2,262 displaced households in the newly constructed or refurbished properties. Although there was a major focus on improving the housing stock on the estate, CVHAT had to tackle the other facilities and a major priority was the redevelopment of Castle Vale Shopping Centre. In 1996, Sainsbury's were invited to tender for
11248-661: The estate: fourteen along Farnborough Road, and the 'Centre 8', a group of eight large tower blocks in the centre of the estate. The following is a list of the tower blocks constructed on the estate. By the end of the 1960s, Castle Vale had a population of around 20,000 people, with the first residents moving into their new homes in 1964. Many of the new residents were of Irish descent , previously living in inner-city slums such as Aston and Nechells . As well as high-rise tower blocks, Castle Vale also had 27 four-storey blocks of maisonettes, three-storey blocks of flats, over 100 bungalows and hundreds of terraced and semi-detached houses. All
11400-422: The eviction of five families who were accused of persistently breaking their tenancy conditions. This was considered to be a landmark case as it used a multi-trial approach where all five families could be tried at once, saving the HAT time and money. A further 20 families were given Notices of Seeking Possession during 2000, and the HAT collated evidence and built cases against the families. During this time, some of
11552-400: The exception of Chivenor and Topcliffe House, had been demolished along with the remaining maisonette blocks and an additional 114 bungalows. Both of the surviving tower blocks were incorporated into neighbouring schools, and were earmarked for retention from the outset, as their demolition would have resulted in the need to build replacement schools elsewhere in the local area. Demolition work
11704-428: The families improved their behaviour while others left the estate. Those that were taken to court saw cases that involved 112 witness statements, supported by covert surveillance footage in some instances. A major problem on the estate in the past was the presence of joyriders exploiting the straight main roads that ran the length of the estate. To tackle this, the HAT employed a traffic calming scheme in April 1998. This
11856-406: The fear of crime still remained high amongst residents. West Midlands Police has launched a series of initiatives aimed at tackling specific causes of crime on the estate. They are also assisted by five Neighbourhood Wardens, who have no powers for arrest or enforcement but act as intermediaries between the police and community. Erdington Erdington is a suburb and ward of Birmingham , in
12008-477: The final refurbishment project by the HAT in the area. A design competition was held for a high-profile design for the building with BM3 Architecture, the architects of the Chivenor House refurbishment, winning the competition. Metal balconies and brightly coloured louvres were installed on the building to radically change the exterior. The crown of the building is surrounded by metal panels similar to those used on
12160-600: The first scheduled helicopter service from London. The buildings that were used for the BIF were sold as storage units for various companies. In March 1960, the airfield was closed as a result of the impending expansion of the airport at Elmdon and in 1962, the airfield site, the BIF site and nearby farmland was sold for construction of the overspill estate which started in 1964. The last hangars were demolished in 1992 for an industrial site. There are some strong symbolic links to these times in
12312-419: The following month. The master planners conducted an in-depth survey and public consultations with residents and local businesses over a six-month period to establish the issues within the estate and their causes. A draft masterplan followed by a refined document were sent to Birmingham City Council for their consideration. These plans, to be carried out for up to 12 years while the HAT was in existence, were for
12464-488: The ground floor to ensure security of access and part of the basement was linked to the school. A crèche was also provided. The stairwells were reglazed with Reglit glazing and new windows were provided in powder-coated aluminium frames, which were of better quality than the previous window frames. The refurbishment was completed in 2006 at a cost of £3 million. The refurbishment of Topcliffe House commenced in November 2003 as
12616-464: The historical boundaries of Erdington. Stockland Green was formerly part of Aston , Kingstanding part of Perry Barr , and Tyburn (Tyburn Road South & Birches Green) partially split between Aston and Hodge Hill ( Castle Vale ). Erdington (ward) was part of the Sutton Coldfield constituency before 1974. Erdington had its own manor house , Erdington Hall, which was protected on three sides by
12768-511: The homes remained cold in the winter. These issues regarding the construction were not confined to just the estate, but most other estates constructed in the Bison construction system. Birmingham City Council was eventually depleted of funds for the maintenance of the blocks and lift breakdowns became common, and were further aggravated by repairers refusing to work without security enforcement. They were also reports of teenage troublemakers setting fire to
12920-473: The houses had modern features that the houses of the slums lacked such as electricity, indoor toilets and central heating. Many of the houses also had gardens to the front and rear, while most of the flats in the tower blocks had private balconies. A competition for the name of the estate was held early in the estate's development and the chosen name was Castle Vale, submitted by a local schoolgirl. When residents moved into their new homes, most were pleased with
13072-408: The improvement. However, the demolition of the slums and breaking up of entire communities had made people feel unsettled. The modern features meant that residents had to adapt, for example, residents were now paying for underfloor heating when they were used to cheaper coal fires. Many residents began to resent being moved and became unhappy. Socially, the estate failed to develop into a community and
13224-434: The joint use of Curzon Street terminus, with the London and Birmingham, gave problems. On 10 February 1842 a new line was opened with a new terminus at Lawley Street. This proceeded to Whitacre via Castle Bromwich , Water Orton and Forge Mills (later renamed Coleshill). The line from Whitacre to Stechford which had not been built, was abandoned, and that to Hampton was reduced to single track. Strong competition between
13376-461: The keeping of sheep. Tenants were permitted an allowance of timber from the forest, but with limitations to protect royal game. Erdington remained within the precincts of Sutton Forest until 1126, when Henry I exchanged the Manor of Sutton, with forest, for two manors in Rutland belonging to Roger, Earl of Warwick . The forest became a chase and the woodland laws were relaxed. The mill mentioned in
13528-466: The late-1970s, with violent incidents also increasing in number. The problems continued into the 1980s with the top of Concorde Tower becoming a popular vantage point for teenagers to watch joyriders speed along the straight main roads (often in stolen cars), and to watch the police chase them. Castle Vale had six pubs, (Trade Winds, Albatross, Trees, Skylark, Artful Dodger and Lancaster), but all had closed by 1996, having been associated with drug dealing for
13680-479: The length of the estate, commenced in 1963 and the first residents moved in a year later. The estate was completed in 1969. Reinforced concrete was the main material used due to its low cost and ease of use. 30% of the houses constructed were intended for private sale, an unusually high percentage, with most of the privately sold houses being around the Park Lane area of the estate. As well as residential properties, there
13832-489: The line and the Midland Counties Railway for transport, particularly of coal, to London, almost drove both of them out of business. The B&DJR offered a time from Derby to London of around seven hours, but when the MCR began operating it was able to make the journey in an hour less. The B&DJR lowered its fares but this simply resulted in a price war. In a war of "dirty tricks", the MCR made an agreement with
13984-493: The line's shareholders to override their board and the stage was set for amalgamation. In 1844, the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway, the Midland Counties and the North Midland Railway merged to form the new Midland Railway . The route to Hampton-in-Arden immediately lost all importance when the companies merged, since London traffic was redirected through the shorter Midland Counties route via Rugby . Known as
14136-588: The location for the British Industries Fair . Despite being steeped in aviation history, Castle Vale became infamous from the 1970s onwards as a large scale example of a failed postwar overspill estate , which suffered from poor construction and maintenance, social deprivation and high levels of crime. The area became the focus of a targeted regeneration initiative, led by the Castle Vale Housing Action Trust (CVHAT) from 1993 to 2005, where
14288-596: The north of Erdington, within the area of Pype Hayes on the border with Walmley , is Pype Hayes Park and Pype Hayes Hall , the former home of the Bagot family . A smaller park in the area is Sorrel Park. The Old Green Man on Bromford Lane (now known as the Lad in the Lane ) is one of the oldest public houses in Birmingham. Another, is the ' Charlie Hall ', in Ward End . It's named after
14440-464: The north of the area which gradually encouraged an industrial presence along it. In 1881, W. W. Bagot sold 344 acres (1 km) of land in Berwood to the Birmingham, Tame and Rea District Drainage Board , and a further 358 acres (1 km) were sold to the Board on 29 September 1888. Home Farm was in the north west corner, near Tyburn House, and the land consisted of a large orchard, however its main function
14592-406: The plans of the buildings in the future. The buildings are clad in cedar cladding and Tresca panels. For water conservation, low flush toilets, aerated taps and water butts were installed. Altogether, the scheme cost £958,000, with an average unit cost of £87,000. Refurbishment projects were carried out on the remaining tower blocks and three-storey blocks of flats. The first of the refurbishments of
14744-1066: The population of Erdington stated themselves as Christians, the same figure for the rest of the country although higher than the Birmingham average of 59.1%. 14.9% of the population stated that they were of no religion. Muslims represented 2.2% of the population, below the Birmingham average of 14.3% and the lowest number in the city (together with the Sutton Coldfield wards). Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway Original stations shown in bold type Hampton-in-Arden Coleshill 1842 Birmingham Lawley Street 1842 Birmingham Curzon Street 1854 Birmingham New Street 1854 Saltley 1896 Bromford Bridge 1842 Castle Bromwich 1842 Water Orton 1842 Forge Mills 1864 Whitacre Junction Kingsbury 1842 Wilnecote Tamworth 1850 Elford 1840 Croxall 1855 Wichnor Junction Barton and Walton 1889 Branston Burton upon Trent Willington Peartree Derby The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
14896-612: The property but the abbey regained it in 1360. Donations were made by the Arden family to the clergy and in 1244, a donation of land resulted in two priests being sent to the manor to maintain a shrine, pray for Sir William Arden and to assist travellers through the area. During the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536, Thomas Arden purchased the property from King Henry VIII for £272 10s. The hall fell into disrepair and when it remained as just
15048-447: The quality of construction of the buildings. The design of the estate was based around three main roads – Farnborough Road, Tangmere Drive and Yatesbury Avenue – which were wide and straight, lending themselves to joyriders. Many pockets of the estate were hidden from view allowing muggings to take place, as well as drug dealing and drug taking. They became litter traps and fly-tipping could occur with ease. The design of individual buildings
15200-400: The rails were actually set at 4 ft 9 in (1,450 mm) apart to allow extra play. The B&DJR opened on 12 August 1839 with the line into Hampton, where the trains would reverse for Birmingham. There were six stations in addition to Hampton and Derby . These were Coleshill (later renamed Maxstoke), Kingsbury , Tamworth , Walton , Burton and Willington . From the start
15352-433: The redevelopment of the shopping centre, which they won. The company commenced a period of consultation with the community and produced a planning application for the construction of a retail park on the site with 700 car parking spaces. Schal, the construction management company of Carillion , were appointed as contractors for the scheme. The first phase to be constructed was an office and retail block which became occupied by
15504-601: The regeneration of the estate from 1995, being involved in the consultation of the design of new-build residential properties. They first worked on the Neighbourhood Strategy for the area surrounding Sopwith Croft between 1995 and 1996. This led to their involvement in the design of 42 rented homes in the Sopwith Croft area which were built from 1998 to 2000. During the same period, 33 infill homes and bungalows were constructed on Neville Walk and Chigwell Close, as well as
15656-430: The reign of Henry III . It was originally a footbridge ; however in 1810 it was improved to allow the crossing of vehicles. The word Shrafford was of Saxon origin, meaning "the ford by the caves". These caves were cavities in the nearby Copeley escarpment . The caves were artificially enlarged, and survived World War II . During the war, they were used as air raid shelters. After the war they were completely destroyed for
15808-494: The residents feeling intimidated and helpless on the estate. In the 1980s, the police tried an alternative approach called Community Policing where hot spots for crime were tackled with more officers. The scheme received national attention but was considered to not be drastic enough to deal with the problems on the estate. By 1992, 41% of residents said they were victims of crime and 55% said they were afraid to go out at night. The economic situation for most residents declined through
15960-419: The residents were in poor economic situations. The start of the decline of the estate began in the 1970s when crime rates started to increase. Rent payments were initially collected by the 'rent man' who went from door-to-door, but muggings meant the service was withdrawn in the mid to late-1970s and rent had to be paid at the local post office in the shopping centre. Drug dealing also started becoming prominent in
16112-413: The residents where they could express concerns that they had. These meetings were attended by approximately 200 people. Working groups, which consisted of residents, CVHAT staff and agency representatives, were set up as a result of the forums to tackle specific issues affecting the estate. One working group focussed on the use of CCTV on the estate to improve surveillance on troublespots. The HAT submitted
16264-512: The route in 1835. The bill envisaged the line as running through Whitacre to meet the London and Birmingham Railway with a junction at Stechford to travel into the latter's terminus at Curzon Street . It would also run from Whitacre to Hampton-in-Arden , where it would join the L&;B for connections to London . The promoters came into conflict with those of the Midland Counties Railway even before
16416-401: The scheme involved the construction of 14 mock-Tudor style homes by their future tenants. At the project's outset, those involved in the construction of the buildings were unemployed but had gained full-time jobs by the project's completion. Another construction project was Farnborough Road children's home, the first children's home in the city for 20 years. The eight-bed centre was constructed as
16568-583: The scheme is £26 million, with funding coming from the European Regional Development Fund , the Learning and Skills Council , Birmingham City Council, the Home Office and Castle Vale Community Housing Association. Further employment opportunities for the estate were provided through the construction of Enterprise Park in the east of the estate, on the site of the last remaining hangars for
16720-445: The scheme regarded implementation of infrastructural improvements for the area, such as the construction of Castle Vale High Street and a public square around St. Cuthberts Church. Bluestone plc were appointed as contractors for this phase following a competitive tender process. This phase was completed in November 2004, along with the retail and office units. The police sector base was completed in October 2004. The estimated total cost of
16872-670: The scheme to redevelop the site of Concorde Tower in 2000. In total, Axis designed 200 new properties in Castle Vale. In the Watton Green area of the estate, eleven houses were completed in February 2001 with a focus on low-energy features. Designed by PCKO Architects and built by Focus Housing Group, they broke the trend of new homes constructed entirely of brick on the estate. The shells of these buildings were constructed quickly with insulated wall panels and roof pieces, manufactured using recycled newspaper and containing no foam or resin. The internal walls are not load-bearing, allowing changes to
17024-410: The scheme which cost £22.7 million. Construction commenced in October 2002. By 2000, 1,500 properties had been demolished while 700 new homes had been constructed and a further 786 had been refurbished. In March 2000, CVHAT owned 1,587 properties while housing associations owned 610 and 1,456 were owner-occupied. In 2001, Ron Hull Demolition were appointed for the remainder of the demolition work on
17176-541: The second largest in Erdington, representing 3.9% of the population. 3.8% were from Asian ethnic groups and 2.8% were from mixed ethnic backgrounds. The remaining 0.5% were from Chinese and other ethnic groups. More specifically, the British White ethnic group represented 81.7% of the population and the Irish White represented 6%. 3.2% of the population were of Black Caribbean descent and 1.8% were of Indian descent. 71% of
17328-518: The shape of the Sentinel sculpture, a stained glass church window, and the names of tower blocks and streets on the estate. Remnants of the airfield also exist such as a row of ex-RAF housing along Church Road. It is often said that the three main roads on the estate were the original runways on the airfield, but this is not true. Aerial photographs from the Second World War and afterwards clearly show
17480-485: The site and the remaining tower blocks refurbished. Pitts Farm estate is off Chester Rd in some places bordering Pype Hayes Park . There are plans to develop and improve the area. Though referred to as Hardintone in the Domesday Book, it is widely accepted that the name comes from a reference to a fortified homestead established by Eardwulf in Anglo Saxon times , with 'ton' or 'tun' being an Anglo-Saxon suffix for
17632-593: The site was taken over by Josiah Mason, there were two grammar schools and a further secondary school. The two grammar schools were Marsh Hill Boys School and Marsh Hill Girls Schools (the schools were formally known as Grammar Technical Schools); the third school on the site was Stockland Green Bilateral School. Other secondary schools in Erdington were: Erdington Girls Grammar School, Jaffray School, Moor End School and St Edmond Campion School which were "fed" by children leaving Primary Schools at Erdington Hall and others(list needs completing). Community Facilities To
17784-475: The sites released by demolition. The remaining tower blocks which included the fourteen on Farnborough Road and Concorde Tower were to be refurbished with new insulation and security features. The other low-rise residential properties were also to be refurbished in Neighbourhood Strategies. Economic proposals included the large-scale redevelopment of Castle Vale Shopping Centre to create a modern hub for
17936-462: The southern edge of the district and on the border of Aston and Gravelly Hill . As well as being a road interchange, two railway lines, three canals, and two rivers also converge on that location. Britain's longest bridge, Bromford Viaduct starts here, carrying the M6 to Junction 5, Castle Bromwich . It has long been a historic crossing point in Birmingham, with the incorporation of Salford Bridge , which
18088-415: The staircases in the tower blocks. In 1991, a large concrete panel fell from one of the tower blocks and, although nobody was injured, it was reported locally and helped spark efforts for the regeneration of the estate to begin. The state of Castle Vale became a serious concern for Birmingham City Council and in July 1991, Derek Waddington, the then director of housing for Birmingham City Council, heard about
18240-412: The total number of houses in Erdington. The most common housing type was semi-detached properties, whilst purpose built blocks of flats were the second most common. The age patterns of Erdington are very similar to that of the England. 29.7% of the residents were in the 25–44 age bracket, above the city average of 28.3% and the nationwide average of 29.3%. 19% of residents were of a pensionable age, above
18392-399: The two tower blocks commenced in 2002 with Chivenor House. A subtle refurbishment was planned with the entire exterior being covered in an insulated render and painted a cream colour. The ground floor and basement were refurbished providing communal facilities for the local residents including a hairdressing salon, communal lounge, communal kitchen and television room. A concierge was located on
18544-461: The unemployment rate was 40%. This was one of the highest levels in the country, which was in the depths of a major recession at the time, and unemployment had even continued to plague Castle Vale following the previous recession in the early 1980s after which the national unemployment level had halved within three years. Educational attainment also suffered with 12% of Castle Vale Secondary School leavers received 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE, half
18696-451: The village: Edwin , grandson of Lady Godiva , owned the property. He tried to resist the Normans' attempts to gain possession of Erdington, but he was executed in 1071. The earldom then passed to William I who placed the manor and village in the possession of William Fitz-Ansculf , a powerful Norman baron who lived at Dudley Castle . He then gave the manor to Peter de Erdington. Erdington
18848-575: The world. The name of St. Mary was revived in Berwood upon the construction of the Church of St. Mary to serve people housed in nearby Nissen huts . It was dedicated on 17 December 1923 but was destroyed by fire in 1926, only to be rebuilt soon after and fall into disuse. The area was a flat plain when it became the Berwood Playing Fields. In 1909, local mechanic Louis Maxfield assembled a flying machine in Berwood Playing Fields. The plane took off and
19000-547: The years, the hospital has generally provided care for the mentally ill. In 1994, the hospital became part of the Northern Birmingham Mental Health NHS Trust. During the following two years, the facilities in the old buildings were gradually rehoused in more modern units nearby and in 1996, the main building was declared closed. The main house was derelict for the next eight years, before being refurbished by property developers between 2004 and 2006. On
19152-770: Was a British railway company. From Birmingham it connected at Derby with the North Midland Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station . It now forms part of the main route between the West Country and the North East . Although Birmingham was served by an extensive canal network (indeed, it is suggested they were a factor in its growth as an engineering centre), there were technical problems since Birmingham
19304-498: Was a former Poor Law institution, and then a psychiatric hospital . There was a social stigma to being treated there. Other large psychiatric institutions in Birmingham have been broken up. Some of the old Highcroft Hospital grounds have been used for new housing. The main hospital building has been renovated into luxury apartments and has been named Highcroft Hall. Highcroft Hall was built between 1869 and 1871 by Victorian architect Yeoville Thomason . The building, sanctioned by
19456-415: Was aimed to reduce the cost of dwellings, introducing industrialised forms of construction to save labour, attracting new national contractors to work in Birmingham, and increase capacity by providing continuous work for contractors. At a time when major house-building firms were receiving large subsidies from the Government for the construction and pioneering prefabricated, system-built tower blocks , there
19608-425: Was also a shopping centre in the eastern part of the estate, five schools, two churches and a swimming pool. There were some clear links to the aviation heritage of the site within the names of the roads, with the three main roads running the length of the estate being constructed on the runways of the airfield, and the 34 tower blocks that contained 2,000 flats. There were two major concentrations of tower blocks within
19760-515: Was also abandoned after health and safety concerns. Two tornadoes touched down in Birmingham on 23 November 1981 as part of the record-breaking nationwide tornado outbreak on that day. The first tornado, rated as an F1/T2 tornado, touched down in Erdington at about 14:00 local time, causing some damage across the northern suburbs of Birmingham. At the time of the 2001 Population Census there were 22,626 people living in Erdington. The area where Chester Road crosses Birmingham Road and Sutton Road
19912-455: Was also of concern, with a wide range of issues such as the ease of access for arsonists to the rubbish chutes of the maisonettes, which posed a safety hazard to residents. Issues regarding the construction of the buildings were noticed early into the estate's life. In the early 1970s, many homes were starting to experience damp and others were flooded as a result of leaking roofs. In the maisonettes, heating bills were between £300–500 quarterly and
20064-406: Was conducted by demolition contractors who competed for the various contracts offered by the HAT. The complexity of these contracts led to confusion sometimes between the contractors and the HAT. In one case, between the HAT and Demolition Services Ltd., where Demolition Services Ltd. had been contracted to demolish two 13-storey tower blocks and remove asbestos from the insulation panels, legal advice
20216-522: Was constructing and Fidler urged the council to adopt the French Camus system which consisted of housing at a density of approximately 50 houses per hectare and 80 people per acre. The council refused this and demanded 48 homes per hectare with 75 people per acre. In a final attempt to convince the council, he proposed a 'garden city' layout for the Castle Bromwich Airfield site in 1963. This too
20368-552: Was demolished for the construction of the Tyburn Road, though a small section remained until World War I . Other moated properties included one at Fern Road, one at the junction of Moor End Lane and Berkswell Road, and another that surrounded a large farm called Pipe Orchard, the site of which can be seen in the Erdington Grammar School playing fields. Erdington developed as a village as a result of settlers travelling up
20520-401: Was done by installing speed bumps, mini- roundabouts and narrowing road lanes. An issue for residents was securing their property from thieves and so the HAT provided burglar alarms and car steering locks. In February 1999, 59 Home Wardens were introduced to the estate to help protect property and forge links between residents and community groups. As they had no law enforcement powers, funding
20672-412: Was first mentioned in a deed in 1490, although a bridge is believed to have been at this location since 1290. Nearby is Fort Dunlop , former home of Dunlop Rubber , a relic of Erdington's industrial past. At its peak, it employed 10,000 people but its industrial usage has declined since, with Dunlop maintaining only a small presence in the area. The factory closed in September 2014. The main building
20824-412: Was given a 12-year objective to regenerate the estate using both publicly and privately funded means. On 31 March 1994, 3,746 homes housing approximately 11,000 people in an area covering approximately 2.5 km (1 sq mi) was transferred to the HAT from Birmingham City Council. In April 1994, Hunt Thompson Associates were appointed by the HAT as master planners and work on the plan commenced in
20976-495: Was given to the Abbey of St. Mary de Pratis at Leicester by the Arden family. A moated house, St Mary's Chapel, a hermitage, a bake house and farm buildings were built for them, although St Mary's Chapel was demolished in the 15th century after it fell into disrepair. Under the ownership of Leicester Abbey, the Arden family became tenants, despite having owned the land previously. In 1356–7, Sir John de Arderne briefly gained ownership of
21128-468: Was major competition between companies who offered various construction systems. Concrete Ltd. had developed a system called the Bison Wall Frame system which was offered to the council who then accepted it and commissioned Bryants as the contractor. Construction of the layout designed by J. R. Sheridan-Shedden, which consisted of housing for 5,000 housing units along two spines of housing running along
21280-478: Was mentioned in the Domesday Book under the name Hardintone and was under the possession of Peter. It had arable land for six ploughs, a mill and 5 acres (2.0 ha) of meadows and woodland. It was valued at 30 shillings and was one mile (1.6 km) in length and half a mile in breadth. As Erdington was near Sutton Forest, the Normans imposed strict laws on the village forbidding the hunting of wild animals and
21432-515: Was on rising ground. As early as 1824, Birmingham businessmen had been looking at the possibilities of the railway. The London and Birmingham Railway and the Grand Junction Railway had obtained their necessary Acts of Parliament in 1833 and a scheme for a line to Gloucester and Bristol was in the air. The North Midland had been floated in 1833 and a proposal was made to connect to its terminus at Derby George Stephenson surveyed
21584-474: Was plundered by the Royalists . After his victory in Birmingham, Prince Rupert passed through Erdington and Sutton Coldfield with his troops on their way to Lichfield . In 1759, a turnpike act was passed for the Chester Road and another act was passed in 1807 for a road that passed through Erdington village from Birmingham. This resulted in Erdington being a stop-off location for stage coaches which passed along
21736-568: Was provided for two extra police officers for three years. A centre was also set up for dealing with any reports of racial harassment on the estate. The regeneration of the estate has led to noticeable successes and all the key objectives were met. While the physical changes to the profile of Castle Vale were the most noticeable, there were significant improvements to the overall health, economic situation, social lives and educational attainment of estate residents, as well as reductions in crime rates. Some improvements were progressive with regeneration of
21888-409: Was provided in a process known as 'decanting'. On the day of moving, the HAT provided removal services for them and also gave them £800 on the day to cover any costs and for the inconvenience. Properties that were used for decanting were usually temporarily refurbished prior to residents moving in and were located on the estate itself. The demolition of these properties opened up vast tracts of land for
22040-530: Was redeveloped from 2005 to 2006 into office and retail space by Urban Splash . The area surrounding Fort Dunlop is used by logistics companies and also features showrooms operated by several car manufacturers, including Birmingham's only Lamborghini dealership. Fort Dunlop lends its name to the nearby The Fort Shopping Park, constructed on reclaimed land by the Birmingham Heartlands Development Corporation in 1996. Erdington has
22192-458: Was rejected and, as a result, Fidler resigned from his position. He was quickly succeeded by J. R. Sheridan-Shedden, the deputy City Architect who held the position temporarily. Upon taking the position, he designed a revised masterplan for the Castle Bromwich Airfield estate. The new masterplan used the Radburn Layout which consisted of super-blocks of housing, schools, retail and offices around
22344-510: Was severely damaged by fire on the morning of 4 October 2007. It has now been extensively repaired and modernised. Also nearby, on Mason Road, is Erdington Swimming Baths which were constructed by the Birmingham Baths Committee , this was a complex including Saunas and a fitness centre as well as a swimming pool, but has now been replaced by a new leisure Centre and Baths on Orphanage Road nearby. Erdington Library, Opened in 1907 as
22496-423: Was sought by the contractor after they discovered further asbestos in the finishes to the ceilings, walls and floors. Demolition Services Ltd. wanted an additional payment of £300,000 but the HAT argued that the removal of these features were part of the contract. Nonetheless, the HAT were forced to make the additional payment in court. For some residents who had been moved out of their homes, temporary accommodation
22648-469: Was the busiest airport in the area due to its passenger, post and railway air business. A large tract of land adjacent to the airfield was marked out for the British Industries Fair (BIF) in 1920, which was advertised nationally. In 1937, more hangars and a Squadron Headquarters were built for the Royal Air Force and in 1939, it was extended further to become a fighter station, a base for other units and
22800-609: Was the tallest tower block in Birmingham, though many taller blocks were later built. In 1961, the estate won the Civic Award for Housing for the retention of the original trees from the villas and the architectural qualities of the tower blocks which included an exposed concrete frame, a sweeping staircase and a false upper storey to hide the laundry facilities on the roof. The Lyndhurst estate has since been redeveloped. The low rise maisonettes were demolished along with Harlech and Burcombe Towers. Modern residential properties were built on
22952-426: Was then made to demolish Concorde Tower as well as the 14 Farnborough Road tower blocks, which had originally been earmarked for refurbishment. During the clearance process, security were employed to guard the site constantly to protect remaining residents and to prevent looting. All 27 of the maisonette blocks were eventually demolished, including the three which were initially earmarked for refurbishment. All but one of
23104-423: Was to spread sewage brought from the City of Birmingham over the rest of the land. In 1898, filter beds were constructed as the volume of sewage was becoming too much with the rest of the land becoming farmland or swamp, surrounded by forest. In 1842, the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway was completed to the southeast of Castle Vale with a railway station serving the area on the line. Another railway branch,
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